The present invention relates to a method of treating the scalp to reduce hair loss and stimulate hair growth on the scalp.
Hair loss on the scalp is a problem that has plagued men and some women since time immemorial. Great effort and expense has been spent trying to prevent and reverse it.
It is now generally appreciated that there are several discernible categories, of hair loss and, logically flowing from the distinctions of the different categories, that each category in and to itself need be separately considered if hair loss reduction or regrowth is desired by any particular person suffering from hair loss.
The most common type of hair loss in men is male pattern baldness or alopecia. Usually with alopecia, hair loss happens gradually over many years. It starts out being most obvious on the crown of the head and in the frontal region in men. For women afflicted with alopecia, the hair loss, which provides a thinning effect, is more spread out and is common after menopause. Despite this type of hair loss being common, it is one of the categories that has met with only very limited success on the part of scalp and hair specialists in being able to reverse its effect.
As a result, in the vast majority of cases, namely males with androgenetic alopecia or, as more commonly referred to as male pattern baldness, short of invasive surgery or hair pieces, effective measures for treatment are very limited.
Nevertheless, in regard to male pattern baldness, there are two medications of which the inventors are aware presently on the market which have shown some success. One of the medications uses as its active ingredient minoxidil and is sold under the product name Rogaine (a trade mark of Pharmacia & Upjohn Company). Rogaine(.TM.) has been shown to reduce hair loss and stimulate hair growth in up to 10 percent of men with male pattern baldness. It is a solution that is applied externally directly to the scalp area and treatment application must be exhaustively and regularly maintained. It is also very expensive.
The other of the medications uses finasteride as an active ingredient and is sold under the product name Propecia (a .TM.of Merck & Co., Inc.). Propecia(.TM.) is in pill form and taken orally. It also requires consistent application. The pill must be taken on a regular basis.
In both of the above cases, however, the method of action appears uncertain and both require constant attention and application of the user.
There is a need for a method of dealing with alopeccia or male pattern baldness that does not require either of external application, extensive effort or time of the user and which is economical.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of dealing with alopeccia or male pattern baldness that does not require external application, that does not require extensive effort of the user and which is economical to use.